Happily ever aftermaybe?
by My painful Symphony
Summary: Sakura and Sasuke arent together anymore, he expected something she refused to be. Now the one she's been dreaming of is ready to claim her as his own...will sakura solve her inner struggle or is her happily ever going to stay a dream?


THIS IS BETTER THAN MY OTHER ONESHOTS, I THINK, SO READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!!

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The 'Rookie Nine', a bar named in honor of the Konoha ninja, was packed to its fullest and the noise level was ear-splitting.

Sakura Haruno, Most famous medical Kunoichi since Tsunade herself, never felt more at home.

She smiled at her best friend, Ino Yamanaka, and started to tell her of the previous night at the hospital.

"You would never have believed it Ino-pig but this guy, a _complete _stranger I might add got himself injured on purpose just so he could see me", she sounded annoyed and flattered at the same time.

_Honestly what woman wouldn't feel flattered, _she reasoned, failing to miss the roll of the blondes eyes.

Ino leaned forward with an arched brow, "Forehead…let me let you in on a secret".

The woman in question nodded, waiting.

"…._EVERY MAN IN KONOHA WANTS YOU_!", Sakura leaned back ,surprised at shout and scowled at Ino while putting on a mocking face.

"_Yes _of _course_ they all _want_ me…I just seem to have a disease ever since I stopped dating Sasuke, men avoid me like im a frickin' _virus _or unsightly creature.

" Yes ino I can definitely tell they all so _desperately want me!", _she screamed that part.

Good thing the bar was packed our they would have been getting some pretty weird looks.

The blonde shook her head, "Sakura", she said in a tone that meant business, "The only reason men keep running from you is because you give off the vibe that you'd kill them if given the chance, DUH!…. You get it now?".

Sakura's mouth opened and closed, trying to formulate a response…none came.

Ino nodded her head in satisfaction before continuing, "you need to find a man sakura", Sakura saw Ino's eye drift to Choji and they softened with a light that was only present in the fair haired Kunoichi when around her boyfriend.

"….someone who listens to you, I mean really _listens_ and doesn't 'hn' as a response to everything"

The pinkette started to respond when she felt _him_.

She instinctively turned towards the door and her breath left her in a rush.

Sabuka no Gaara, Kazekage of Suna, stood next to his best friend and her brother, Naruto. (did anyone think it was Sasuke?)

Her eyes roved hungrily over his form, detecting the muscles that were concealed under his black and red attire.

The medical knowledge that she retained told her that, that man could lift her over his head with one arm.

Sakura felt a shiver run up her spine at the thought, _a man stronger than her was hard to find these days._

Her lips twisted in a bitter smile when she remembered the words that Sasuke had said to her that had ended their relationship.

"_I cant have a Kunoichi as a wife. I need a woman at home to raise the children I want to have to restore the clan….Sakura its either your job or the life you always wanted with me"._

And she'd picked her job, her life because she knew deep down that he just didn't want her excelling farther in her career…in her strength.

_The last Uchiha cant be outdone by a woman, _she internally sneered at the thought and tried not to be hurt at the look in his eyes when he said that.

He had been so sure that she would choose _him. _So _damn sure _that she would give up _everything _for him…just like she _used_ to.

The memories of how she used to be when she was a child and a teenager made her stomach roll. Sakura repressed a wave of self disgust.

It was then that she realized she was still staring at Gaara…._and he was staring back! Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh SHIT!_

His jade eyes surveyed her whole body and she felt as if her skin was on fire wherever he looked…his eyes narrowed and Sakura gasped when his tongue flicked out to lick his bottom lip.

Whipping back around she didn't see his smirk, she sighed in relief when she realized that ino was still all gaga eyes staring at Choji.

Sakura felt eyes burning into her back but she refused to turn back around.

The yamanaka woman continued to ogle her own personal eye candy and sakura started to get irritated with the holes being lasered into her back and the oblivious woman who _should _have been _helping _her look _less _like an _idiot_.

"ino…ino…INO!", finally the blonde turned to see her friend simmering in anger with a twitch in her left eyebrow, "…Yes?".

"Uuuhhh why don't we…", Sakura looked around the dimly lit bar and spotted her salvation , _Jackpot!._

She smiled happily with the idea, "Why don't we sing karaoke?", she almost jumped out of her seat the idea of getting away from that hot stare.

So before Ino could even utter a 'yes', Sakura was dragging her through the throng of people and up on the stage.

Immediately silence ensued and people waited expectantly, used to this kind of display.

Sakura made a concentrated effort not to look Gaara's way as she grabbed the mike from the stance and tossed it to Ino before grabbing her own.

"The song is called 'everything im not' by the Veronica's, we hope you enjoy", they said in unison since they had decided long before they came that would be the song they would sing if they decided to sing at all.

Ino started singing first and Sakura joined in after a couple beats.

_**Oh no**_

_**Don't go changing**_

_**That's what you told me from the start**_

_**Thought you where something different**_

_**That's when it all just fell apart**_

_**Like you're so perfect**_

_**And I can't measure up**_

_**Well I'm not perfect**_

_**Just all messed up**_

Sakura sang the next verse and everyone could tell her heart was in it. Jade eyes narrowed in contemplation as they watched her intently.

_**I was loosing myself to somebody else**_

_**But now I see**_

_**I don't wanna pretend**_

_**So this is the end of you and me**_

_**Cause the girl that you want**_

_**She was tearing us apart**_

_**Cause she's everything**_

_**Everything I'm not**_

Sakura didn't realize that that was exactly how she felt about Sasuke, he always wanted her to be someone other than who she was, he wanted Sakura _Uchiha_….not Sakura _Haruno_.

_Sasuke wanted the kind of women his mother had been, which wasn't bad…but Sakura just wasn't that person._

_**It's not like I need somebody**_

_**Telling me where I should go at night**_

_**Don't worry you'll find somebody**_

_**Someone to tell how to live their life**_

_**Cause your so perfect**_

_**And no one measures up**_

_**Yeah all by yourself**_

_**You're all messed up**_

Ino and Sakura put their arms over each others shoulders for a moment and put their heads near each other and smiled.

They looked like sisters, telling a secret as they sang.

The crowd cheered, it was then that Sakura noticed Sasuke sitting at the back of the bar with Karin, watching her with sharingan eyes.

_**I was loosing myself to somebody else**_

_**But now I see**_

_**I don't wanna pretend**_

_**So this is the end of you and me**_

Surprised that it didn't take as much guts as she thought, Sakura swung away from his gazed and danced across the stage.

Twirling and swaying, to the inner peace that she now felt, Sakura sang with her entire being and gave herself over to the flow of the music.

Ino mimicked her dancing in the opposite direction.

_**Cause the girl that you want**_

_**She was tearing us apart**_

_**Cause she's everything**_

_**Everything I'm not**_

_**Now wait a minute**_

_**Because of you**_

_**I never knew all the things that I had**_

_**Hey don't u get it**_

_**I'm not going anywhere with you tonight**_

_**Cause this is my life**_

_**I was loosing myself to somebody else**_

_**But now I see**_

_**I don't wanna pretend**_

_**So this is the end of you and me**_

_**Cause the girl that you want**_

Sakura failed to see the narrowing of the Uchiha's eyes or the fiery ones that glared threateningly at the sharingan user.

_Had _she been watching, She would have almost interpreted it as a _possessive_ gesture.

_**She was tearing us apart**_

_**Cause she's was everything**_

_**Everything I'm not**_

_**But now I see**_

_**I don't wanna pretend**_

_**So this is the end of you and me**_

_**Cause the girl that you want**_

_**she was tearing us apart**_

_**Cause she's everything**_

_**Everything I'm not**_

People cheered and screamed, wanting more of the singing that the two Kunoichi gave on a regular basis. Sakura looked at Ino and they nodded, silently signaling that they would sing one more song.

"this is a song that we made together and its dedicated to all woman who've ever been discriminated by society…", Ino looked around the room and her eyes rested blandly on a council member who was a well known believer in "woman in the kitchen, men in the office'

They shook their heads and smiled at each other mischievously. A few ninja and civilians who knew the girls well shifted nervously.

The 'sisters' braced their legs apart, and tilted their heads as if asking a question.

_**So what am I not supposed to have an opinion**_

_**Should I be quiet just because I'm a woman**_

_**Call me a bitch cos I speak what's on my mind**_

_**Guess its easier for you to swallow if I sat and smiled**_

_**When a female fires back**_

_**Suddenly the target don't know how to act**_

_**So he does what any little boy will do**_

_**Making up a few false rumors or two**_

Sakura held up two fingers and Ino mimicked, both wrinkled their noses in distaste.

_**That for sure is not a man to me**_

_**Slanderin' names for popularity**_

_**Its sad you only get your fame through controversy**_

_**But now its time for me to come and give you more to say**_

Ino dropped towards the floor and rose sensually, moving erotically and looked over her shoulder …she saw Choji's jaw drop.

_**This is for my girls all around the world**_

_**Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth**_

_**Thinking all women should be seen, not heard**_

_**So what do we do girls? **_

_**Shout louder!**_

They both cupped their hands to their mouths and looked at all the people with Neanderthal outlooks with a smile that said 'what do ya think about that!'.

_**Letting them know were gonna stand our ground**_

_**Lift your hands high and wave them proud**_

_**Take a deep breath and say it loud**_

_**Never can, never will, cant hold us down\**_

_**nobody can hold us down**_

_**Nobody can hold us down**_

_**Nobody can hold us down**_

_**Never can, never will so what am I not supposed to say what Im saying**_

_**Are you offended by the message I'm bringing**_

_**Call me whatever cos your words don't mean a thing**_

They both shook their pointer finger at the audience and shook their heads sadly with a sarcastic smile on their faces.

_**Guess you ain't even a man enough to handle what I sing**_

The blonde woman moved forward next to Sakura and looked to Sakura with a gossip pose.

_**If you look back in history**_

_**Its a common double standard of society**_

_**The guy gets all the glory the more he can score**_

_**While the girl can do the same and yet you call her a whore**_

Sakura's eyes narrowed in disgust as ino continued and she joined in shortly but not before tossing her hair over her shoulder arrogantly.

_**I don't understand why its okay**_

_**The guy can get away with it & the girl gets named**_

_**All my ladies come together and make a change**_

_**Start a new beginning for us everybody sing**_

Ino nodded in agreement and moved her arms( like Cristina in the music video)

_**This is for my girls all around the world**_

_**Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth**_

_**Thinking all women should be seen, not heard**_

_**What do we do girls? **_

By then all the Kunoichi and civilian woman were crowded around the stage, singing when they could and dancing around with each other.

_**Shout louder!**_

_**Letting them know were gonna stand our ground**_

_**Lift your hands high and wave em proud**_

_**Take a deep breath and say it loud**_

_**Never can, never will, cant hold us down **_

Sakura stepped forward and sang solo, she looked at all the females before her and began to dance (like lil Kim did in the vid) while cocking her eyebrow and looking slightly pissed off, her lips twisted in disdain.

_**Check it - here's something I just cant understand**_

_**If the guy have three girls then he's the man**_

_**He can either give us some head, sex her off**_

_**If the girl do the same, then she's a whore**_

Her gaze accidentally wondered and met Gaara's, his eyes shot sparks at her and Sakura couldn't help but be turned on a bit, _he looked like he was enjoying this, __**Yeah because were shimmying across the floor…he's probably just horny -.-.**_

_**But the tables about to turn**_

_**Ill bet my fame on it**_

_**Cats take my ideas and put their name on it**_

_**Its aiight though, you cant hold me down**_

_**I got to keep on movin**_

_**To all my girls with a man who be tryin to mack**_

_**Do it right back to him and let that be that**_

_**You need to let him know that his game is whack**_

_**And Lil Kura and yamanaka got your back**_

The 'sisters' leaned forward and sang but would look at each other with derisive expressions, like they completely believed every word they were singing…they weren't the only ones, all the woman were moving with the beat and singing the song and pointing to men who had discriminated them at one time or another.

_**But you're just a little boy**_

_**Think you're so cute, so coy**_

_**You must talk so big**_

_**To make up for small lil things**_

_**So you're just a little boy**_

_**All you'll do is annoy**_

_**You must talk so big**_

_**To make up for small lil things**_

_**This is for my girls...This is for my girls all around the world**_

_**Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth**_

_**Thinking all women should be seen, not heard**_

_**So what do we do girls?**_

_** Shout louder!**_

_**Letting them know were gonna stand our ground**_

_**Lift your hands high and wave 'em proud**_

_**Take a deep breath and say it loud**_

_**Never can, never will, cant hold us down**_

Gaara stared at Sakura, she seemed to be so into what she was doing that she didn't notice him anymore, he couldn't help but tap his foot and repeat the words over in his head…unbeknownst to said female he agreed completely. Females gave life...they should be held in the highest regard.

_**This is for my girls all around the world**_

_**Who've come across a man who don't respect your worth**_

_**Thinking all women should be seen, not heard**_

_**So what do we do girls? **_

_**Shout louder!**_

_**Letting them know were gonna stand our ground**_

_**Lift your hands high and wave 'em proud**_

_**Take a deep breath and say it loud**_

_**Never can, never will, cant hold us down**_

_**Spread the word, cant hold us down**_

The 'sisters' bowed before walking off the stage, applause loud in their ears. Though they did receive a few glares from certain men cough council men cough but they just shrugged it off and went to their table.

Feeling suddenly content with herself and wanting to be by herself to contemplate the new route she would take Sakura grabbed her coat.

"hey Ino im gonna leave, ok?", when ino saw the look in her eyes the protest on her lips died.

It was _Sakura, _not the woman who had been plagued by her love for a man that didn't _see her for who she was_, a wonderful person. _A warrior_.

Nodding in acceptance and happy at finally having her best friend back she hugged her before watching her walk out the pub doors.

Ino felt arms wrap around her waist and she instinctively leaned back into the man she loved, "Is she gonna be okay?".

His deep voice rumbled up from his barrel chest and vibrated through her body, "Yeah", she sighed, "I _really_ think she is".

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Gaara watched as the pinkette vanished out the doors into the dark and he started to rise.

_That look she had given him nearly made him take her on the table that she sat at , _Shukaku salivated and howled as he too watched the woman that they both seemed to have desired since…._a long time._

_**I want her!,**_ the sand demon demanded like a petulant child.

He was yanked from his inner musings when he saw Uchiha Sasuke walk out the door shortly after the exotic woman.

Shukaku growled gutturally at the challenge that the sharingan user was presenting.

The primitive sound transferred over to the tanuki's host and rumbled in his chest, drawing the attention of his 'brother'.

Naruto looked at Gaara assessing, knowing exactly what that noise meant but trying to figure out what female could possibly have caused it.

He scanned the room but found nothing, so he turned back to the red head, 'Who?" was all he said in a serious tone.

Gaara shoved himself back from the table that Naruto and his mate, Hinata, shared and made his way for the door.

As he passed his brother he muttered a single word, "…Sakura" before he to disappeared out of the wooden doors.

"SAY WHAT?!".

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The darkness around her didn't bother her at all, the crickets chirped and an owl hooted.

Sakura sighed in pleasure, _it was so peaceful being at…well peace with yourself. _Sakura laughed softly at the thought.

"May I ask what's so funny?", a thick voice murmured from behind her.

Sakura whirled around, kunai in hand in a defensive position ready to fend of an attack.

When she realized who it was she shoved the weapon back into the holster concealed between her breasts and tried not to be irritated.

"What do you want Sasuke?", nope her voice still came out a _lil_ bit annoyed.

He walked out of the shadows and stood before her, she used to love it that he was so much taller, now she hated it…. it felt like he was looking down on her.

_Maybe he always had._

The thought made her narrow her eyes and deliberately step back from him.

'I proposed to Karin", he said it like he was waiting for her to fall apart. Sakura shrugged hr shoulders nonchalantly, "Came to give me a wedding invitation?", she asked mockingly.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he approached her till she was back against the wall of the nearest building.

A small frisson of fear crawled up her back but was squashed, _she could fight him if she needed to._

"You know you don't have to pretend Sakura", he spoke next to her ear as if he expected her to melt in his arms like a puddle.

He refused to move out of her way when she tried to move, "Sasuke" she said in exasperation, "I really couldn't care less if you married Karin, maybe she'll actually be happy being a stay at home mom, popping out little Uchiha's left and right".

Her voice indicated that she wouldn't have been but he didn't seem to hear it _or_ more likely he _did_ but refused to listen.

His breath fanned her face and even though he didn't smell she still recoiled.

"Sakura..", he started but he was interrupted her by pushing him off with chakra laced fists.

She turned towards him when she was a fair distance away, "Sasuke were over…we've _been _over…you seemed fine with it until you got with Karin, what changed?", he didn't say anything but it dawned on her nonetheless.

"Your in love with her _aren't_ you?", her voice was shocked but she couldn't help it, _Sasuke was actually in love and he was scared of his feelings?!_

Sasuke refused to speak and opted to look at the ground, his fists clenched.

Sakura approached him and laid a hand on his arm, "Sasuke", she said gently, "….look at me".

When he did she grasped his face and spoke softly, "Itachi is dead, you and everyone in this city made sure of that…she can not be taken from you. Tell her you love her, don't hurt her by turning away because your afraid".

When he started to protest that he wasn't scared of anything she smiled lovingly and kissed his cheek, "Go on Sasuke, I'm fine, I promise,….and if you don't invite me to the wedding im going to _kick_ your ass!".

Then the silent and stoic Uchiha did the one thing that melted her heart and made her forgive him for everything he'd ever done to her…he smiled.

"Thank you", the words stuck in his throat a little but he continued, 'I wasn't sure you would appreciate me marrying someone else not even three weeks after we broke up…I really am sorry Sakura". Sakura smiled softly, 'Its not your fault Sasuke, im not a stay at home kinda girl", she laughed lightly before letting him go and indicated with a tilt of her head in the direction of the bar.

"Well I don't think your fiancée would appreciate you out with your ex girlfriend in the dark either, so go on in", he hesitated and she waved her hand for him to go.

When he disappeared inside she tipped her head back and stared at the stars a small grin on her face, "it seems everyone has their happily ever after now"

_everybody but you, _the smile on her face slipped and she turned towards her house.

Sakura sighed for probably the millionth time that night and started to walk home…_alone like it had always been._

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Gaara felt the Uchiha before he saw him and when he did he had to forcibly suppress the snarl that built in his throat.

Especially when he got close enough that he could smell his females scent on him.

"You better not have touched her or there wont be enough people in the world to protect you from my wrath", he growled out when he stood in front of the Uchiha heir.

Sasuke glared at him heatedly, never one to take threats lying down.

"You wont have to worry", he drawled out with a hint of mockery, " Kura would punch my ass through a wall if I touched her when she wished otherwise…but she didn't really wish otherwise", he only added that part because he new Gaara would flip, he already knew that the Kazekage was hung up on the Cherry blossom.

A second later he wished he hadn't baited him, Sasuke's oxygen supply was cut off as the redheads hand closed over his throat and he was slammed against the wall.

Black eyes with golden diamond shapes in the middle stared at him menacingly and a growl reverberated through the alley behind the bar.

Suddenly Naruto, as if sensing trouble appeared beside Gaara.

'Gaara", he spoke in the calmest voice he could at the current situation, no longer bothered about Gaara wanting his 'sister', Hinata had managed to calm him down and _think_ rationally.

"….Let Sasuke go", his voice wasn't the normal happy go lucky but the voice of the future Kage of Konoha.

Gaara turned towards him and growled, "she's mine….mine", he hissed out.

Naruto nodded, "yes she is…Sasuke has a mate already, he doesn't want Sakura…she's all yours if she wishes it", he added the last part as an afterthought.

It really wasn't smart to mess with a jinjurikku's mate, and Naruto intended to kick the shit out of Sasuke for antagonizing an already frustrated tanuki demon.

Gaara gave one last squeeze to the Uchiha's throat and bared his elongated canines in a snarl, 'mine".

Sasuke dropped to the ground and tried to stand but the lack of air had made him dizzy, so he stayed where he was.

Not knowing that if he had stood up Gaara would probably have ripped him to shreds seeing it as another sign of challenge…a wish to fight for Sakura.

After Gaara had vanished in a vortex of sand to find his intended alpha Naruto turned on his best friend, "_YOU BLOODY FUCKING IDIOT_! Do you know what could have happened if Gaara _actually_ thought you wanted Sakura for your own and I _wasn't_ here to convince him otherwise?!".

Sasuke stayed silent, weither it was from a sore throat or shock at Naruto's sudden rage, "….HE WOULD HAVE _KILLED_ YOU! And then he would have gone after sakura with no intention of letting her deny his claim with the state he was in!".

Sasuke managed to stand and stared at Naruto"…oops", he muttered sorely.

Naruto opened his mouth to scream some more but instead he huffed out a tired breath and put Sasukes arm over his shoulders.

"Come on", he said, "lets get you back to Karin and get some drinks before she kills me for keeping you out all night".

They both chuckled in amusement and went back into the 'Rookie Nine'.

But Naruto couldn't help but feel a frisson of worry that something was going to happen.

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Sakura ran the water in her master suite bathroom so she could have a nice _warm _shower.

Trying not to dwell on the fact that she would prefer to have a shower with a _particular_ someone.

She huffed out a breath and spoke out loud to herself, "Yeah right I am through with men for….umm I don't know how long".

When 'inner' remained silent she stripped and walked naked to her kitchen to switch on her ipod unaware that hungry eyes watched her.

When she made it back to the bathroom and stepped under the spray music filtered through her parents old manor.

_**I'm here again**_

_**A thousand miles away from you**_

_** A broken mess, just scattered pieces of who I am**_

_**I tried so hard**_

_**Thought I could do this on my own**_

_** I've lost so much along the way **_

Vanilla filled the house as she squirted the soap into her hands and began to scrub and clean her body. The feel of the water and the soap across her torso made her moan low in her throat.

_**Then I'll see your face**_

_**I know I'm finally yours **_

_**I find everything I thought I lost before**_

_** You call my name I come to you in pieces **_

_**So you can make me whole**_

_This is what I feel for him….for Gaara, _she realized in shock.

_**I've come undone **_

_**But you make sense of who I am **_

_**Like puzzle pieces in your eye**_

_No no no no no NO!!, _She couldn't fall for another man who wouldn't want her…

_**Then I'll see your face**_

_**I know I'm finally yours**_

_** I find everything I thought I lost before **_

_**You call my name I come to you in pieces **_

_**So you can make me whole!**_

Scared of what she knew she couldn't avoid, Sakura began to weep silently.

_**I tried so hard! **_

_**So hard!**_

_**I tried so hard!**_

_It just wasn't fair! Why did she always love the ones she couldn't have?!_

_**Then I'll see your face**_

_**I know I'm finally yours **_

_**I find everything I thought I lost before **_

_**You call my name I come to you in pieces **_

_**So you can make me whole**_

_**So you can make me whole**_

Forcing herself to function, Sakura shut the shower off and dried her body with a fluffy towel before heading into her room nude, intent on falling into bed .

But a noise stopped her and she immediately became alert, flaring out her chakra but finding nothing.

Shrugging her shoulders and to tired to really care she dropped across the bed, uncaring that almost all of her body was visible against her black bedding.

"Damn you", she whispered angrily, "Damn you Gaara, for making me…love…you" and then she cried some more before falling into a deep dreamless sleep.

Gaara appeared next to her and stared down at her in shock, _she loved him?_

A warmth that he had only felt a couple times with his siblings unfurled in his chest and kneeled over her on the bed.

His hand reached out and traced her face before running through her hair tenderly.

She moaned beneath him and turned into his touch, revealing more of her body to his gaze.

His lips peeled back from his teeth and he sucked in a breath sharply at the sight of her bare breasts and flat stomach.

_The temptation…._

Gaara shook his head to clear the runaway thought, no she would know exactly who she was with when he claimed her.

But for now….

He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it across the room, kicking off his shoes but leaving his pants on Gaara crawled into bed behind her.

When her skin made contact with his own he groaned, and bit into his cheek when she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her nose into his throat, under his chin and sighed.

Pulling her closer to him, he rested a hand on her buttocks and the other on her shoulder. Gaara purred in contentment and held her before he too was claimed by darkness.

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Warmth surrounded her ,the smell of sandalwood and man filled her nose and she pressed closer to inhale deeply.

That was when she felt a vibration and hear a …._growl?_

Sakura's eyes snapped open and she leaped out of her bed in a panicked frenzy.

Gaara awoke the minute she vanished from his arms and he looked quickly around the room before locating her at the foot of the bed staring at him like he was insane.

_**Well you did climb in through her window and slept with her without her knowledge while she was NAKED!,**_ Shukaku grinned perversely at the last part and Gaara mentally smacked him in the head.

"Ummm", he stared at her as she began to back away from him slowly, "…what the _hell_ are you doing in my bed Kazekage- Sama?!", Gaara was secretly amazed that she kept a civil tone, but the use of his title made his eyes narrow.

Without meaning to he looked her up and down a small smirk on his face, it was then that sakura realized that she was still naked.

With an earsplitting shriek she dove for the bathroom but Gaara was just as quick and caught her before she reached the door.

His bare chest pressed against her smooth back and he purred lightly in pleasure but still he said nothing…he just picked her up and moved back towards the bed.

Sakura's mind worked frantically trying to figure out what Gaara was doing and why.

She ran all the information that Naruto and medical files had given her about jinjurikku's…._lets see ummm growling, purring, rubbing of body against skin….HOLY SHIT! HE WAS GOING TO MAKE HER HIS MATE!._

Panic raced through her veins, she may love the guy but being tied down to a man who might want exactly what Sasuke wanted made Sakura's blood run cold.

Gaara dropped her on the bed and braced himself above her, looking deeply into her wide eyes and began to lower his head to kiss her.

It was then that Sakura channeled chakra into her fists and shoved as hard as she could against him.

She was mildly surprised that his sand didn't interfere and only caught him when he was launched through the roof of her home.

Breath rushing in and out of her lungs at the sound that was issued from high above her, it was a feral growl of anger and…_arousal?_

The last part made Sakura pause and she briefly considered just letting him have his way. Inner smacked her in the head and screamed, _**Are you nuts he wants to mate us! We might never be a Kunoichi again if he does! RUN YOU IDIOT!**_

Driven by her other personality, she grabbed her clothes and body flickered out of her house.

Leaving a very angry Tanuki demon who started trying to track her through the scent of her body.

Gaara smiled perversely as he took off, _his woman was strong…worthy of being his Alpha but he intended to show her who was dominant _(don't think of him as a dickhead or sumthin its like animal logic sorta)

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Sakura breathed a sigh of relief when she remembered Gaara would only be able to find her if he caught her scent, so she used her chakra to cover her body in an invisible second skin that contained her smell.

_Good for when you missed a shower, _She thought with a laugh.

Pushing herself off the tree that she had balanced herself against so she could tie her boots, she began to walk out of the forest on the opposite side of town .

Sakura started to think about how she could avoid Gaara when it hit her like a ton of bricks, _He would search everywhere but he'd think she had ran, so if she went back near where she lived she would have more time ._

She briefly did a happy dance at the thought and started walking back towards Konoha, _I should take Kiba up on that lunch he wanted to have._

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Kiba Inuzuka (sp?) sat across from her with a calm air but Sakura could see the tension in his body.

"Kiba", she admonished, "When you ask a girl to lunch your supposed to entertain her with witty conversation and compliments", she said lightly, hoping to get him to relax so he would tell her what was bothering him.

He visibly calmed but didn't say anything about what was making him tense in the first place, instead he started talking animatedly about his last mission, making her laugh.

She decided that when he was ready he would tell her but for now she tried to forget about Gaara and focus on the good time that she was having with a man that _actually_ appreciated her strength and mind.

For a brief moment Sakura felt as if eyes were watching her but she brushed it off, _Gaara should still be out searching for her so it couldn't be anything but her imagination._

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The two laughed and talked for an hour while eating their ramen.

It was when the Inuzuka boy got suddenly quiet that Sakura decided it was time to ask him why he wanted to talk to her in the first place.

"Kiba", she asked timidly, "…What's wrong?", and just like that he spilled the beans in a rush of pain.

'I'm in love with Shino!", he actually had tears in his eyes.

Sakura immediately jumped out of her seat and rushed to his side, she hugged him and he buried his face into her chest like a child would to its mother.

Sakura stroked his hair lovingly and , "And what's so wrong with that?", she said softly and tilted his head up to look at her.

His eyes were so lost that she couldn't help but hug him tighter, "_Kiba_…you have _nothing _to be ashamed or afraid of".

He started to list off things that said otherwise but she put a finger to his lips and continued to speak, "You are still the same person ive always known, _Kiba Inuzuka prankster extraordinaire. _If you love him why haven't you told him, with what I've seen of you two together…I imagine he feels the same".

"And if people tell you its wrong to love him I can tell you their probably just jealous that they aren't the _lucky_ person who has _you_", Sakura laughed and hugged him tighter her before sitting across from him and smiling.

Kiba stared at her in shock , she hadn't alienated him when he told her what he considered to be his _worst_ secret.

When he continued to stare at her, She arched an eyebrow, 'What…is there something on my face or something?".

He shook his head dumbfounded, "You don't hate me?", he asked timidly.

Sakura smiled and shook her head, "Kiba the only thing that bothers me about this whole thing is that you told _me _instead of _him. _I'll tell you what I told Sasuke, ". Tell him you love him, don't hurt him by turning away because your afraid".

Kiba again sat in shock, 'Sasuke as in _Sasuke Uchiha_, Cold stone ninja of Konoha is in _love?", _he said in awe.

"Yeah", Sakura started to laugh at his face, 'that was pretty much my reaction to".

The brunette stood up and walked around to Sakura's side and helped her rise out of her chair.

They paid for their meal and walked out of the Ramen Shack and headed towards the training grounds where they both knew Shino would be.

Sakura turned to Kiba and touched his cheek, "Good luck Kiba", she leaned up and kissed his cheek lightly and body flickered away.

Kiba looked towards the man he loved who stood in the middle of the training field, practicing with his insects.

He took a deep breath and began to walk towards shino who had stopped and turned towards him when he sensed his chakra, "…here goes nothing".

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Gaara watched in silent fury as Sakura touched and laughed with another man, but he almost lost control when the Inuzuka touched his _face _to her _chest _and wrapped his arms around her waist.

He gnashed his teeth and tried to calm Shukaku who was howling and rattling his cage to try and get out to kill the other male.

But really how many men was a guy supposed to not kill when they kept laying their hands on his woman?

_Maybe the fact that you haven't asked her to be your mate has something to do with it?!_

Gaara's eyes widened, _what the hell was that?!._

Shukaku looked around Gaara's mind and when he found nothing he scratched his head and shrugged.

_Im your conscious you moron!, _the voice yelled in aggravation, _and you just had to go and botch things with the one woman who loves us didn't you?!._

He started to protest but the voice just continued to rant, _You don't just mate somebody! You ask for their hand in marriage…you may have the Tanuki idiot_, said demon growled ,annoyed, _but I know you've read and observed about such things! _

_Why didn't you just ask her?!_

Gaara started to get angry at the ranting presence, _I didn't see why I had to, She said she loved me. Hence I would mate with her!_

…_.__Did she tell you she loved you or did you 'spy' again?_

-.- _oops, __**No shit Sherlock, you humans make everything so damn complicated!,**__Put a sock in it you stupid raccoon!_

Gaara rubbed his temples at the headache that was barreling through his skull like a freight train.

When he looked up again to locate sakura she was gone…._again!_

_I told you….,__** Why don't you shut it, at least I'm real! **__Would you two knock it off._

He rolled his eyes and muttered, "Im definitely going crazy".

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It had taken all her energy to avoid Gaara for the _entire_ day but she had done it and _now she was fucking tired as hell_!

She had a brief grisly image of maiming said man and that took out a mild portion of her irritation.

Groaning at the migraine that was pounding behind her eyes, Sakura pressed her forefingers to each temple and channeled chakra to calm the pain.

She sighed when it was finished and began to walk towards her room, _bed …I just need a bed yawn_

"_hhhhhmmm"_, the thought had immense appeal and she planned on-

A kunai was in her hand and thrown before she even looked at the presence that was in her room…_again!_

Sakura turned and glared at the redhead that was invading her space and her entire life in less than a day.

Gaara fingered the kunai that had nearly taken his head off if his sand hadn't knocked it an inch from his skull…needless to say he was impressed with her skills.

Gripping the tip, he yanked it out of the wall with little force when another man would probably had to exert some strength with how far it had embedded into the wall.

Sakura felt a shiver run up her spine, _he was so strong…_

"Is their something you want Kazekage-Sama?", she asked in a haughty tone hoping to get him to go away.

He arched an eyebrow (Invisible eyebrows lol) at her and nodded before walking towards her.

The predator like movement had her resisting the urge to back away, instead she held out her hand for the weapon that he currently held.

When it was placed in her palm, Sakura yanked away and turned to put it in its casing on top of her dresser trying to act as calm as possible.

"Would you mind _telling_ me what it is that you seem to want so badly that you would chase me around _all _day?", Sakura figured if she acted dumb about his intentions he might get mad and leave.

_Please let it happen…I cant handle another heartbreak._

Before she could blink she was pressed against the wall, with his body pressed hard against hers.

"Don't act stupid Sakura, its not becoming on one so intelligent", he murmured though their was a layer of anger under his calm exterior.

When she registered what he said her eyes flared in outrage, _he was acting just like she thought he would. _

"Don't you _dare_ to assume you _know_ me or can _dictate_ me in _anyway_", she tried to push him off but he refused to budge.

Taking another tactic she went completely still and looked up at him with venom, "You _may_ be the _Kazekage_ of _Suna_ but your _not _in your sandbox at the moment, therefore I am not inclined to _listen _to a_nything_ you have to say.

"Now I will kindly ask you to _remove _yourself from my body before I _make_ you…_Kazekage-Sama_".

Gaara's own eyes flared in anger and a growl rumbled from deep inside his chest.

His animalistic nature demanded that he show her who was dominant, he bared his fangs at her and growled in challenge.

Realizing what he was doing since she had watched some of the interactions between Naruto and Hinata, Sakura took a breath and bared her own teeth , hissing.

Slightly shocked at her knowledge of what to do, Gaara's eyes widened and he loosened his grip slightly.

It was just enough for Sakura to flicker away and appear on the other side of the room, with a smug smirk.

"What?", she said, "ohh you didn't think I knew how to act around jinjurikku's?", she laughed lightly and glared at him, the look completely at odds with the sweet sound.

'You forget Gaara, Naruto is my brother, pack logic was taught to me at a young age when we became so close", Gaara glared as well, _her tone of voice was getting on his nerves._

"If you knew so well what my intentions were", he began to stalk towards her, "why did you run. You knew I would follow. I wont stop…until I have you", Gaara spoke gutturally.

His keen vision picked up on the slight tremble that alerted him to her repressed excitement.

A smirk of satisfaction appeared on his face and he prowled closer to her, "Why do you fight what we both want _Sakura?", _she gasped quietly at his tone but when Gaara raised his hand to touch her face she turned her head away.

His eyes flashed black before returning to jade but his body began to transform in his frustration.

A tail of sand appeared behind him, his teeth elongated, claws appeared where his fingernails were and his hair became more spiked and messy, lengthening slightly.

"Why do you deny me when you love me?!", he hissed, not understanding her and trying to fight the urge to make her submit to him and mate with her.

Sakura whipped around on him so fast that he wouldn't have seen it if he'd blinked. Her eyes were emerald ice chips that held such anger…and pain.

"I refuse to be tied to a man who would have me give up my shinobi status so he could keep me barefoot and pregnant", her voice was like steel and it was Gaara who repressed a shiver.

But when her words clicked, he barely suppressed the hurt that nearly overwhelmed him, _why would she think he would do that?!_

When the answer came to him through quick mental review, he felt a titanic wave of fury wash through his veins.

_He should have killed the damned Uchiha when he had the chance!_

Gaara took a step back, so unlike him, and glared down at her with all the suppressed hurt, anger, frustration and love that had been plaguing him since she had defended the Uchiha boy during the chunnin exams.

He wasn't the Kazekage of suna anymore, he was the Tanuki demon-a man who had been battered his entire existence but had managed to weather what life had thrown his way. A man with the memories from a loveless childhood and a heartless village.

_A man who loved Sakura Haruno with every fiber of his being._

A fierce denial built in the back of his throat, "I would _never_ force you to stop fighting for your people", his voice was a mere growl that sounded completely animal.

Sakura started to speak while backing away from him a slight tension in her body at his attitude but an arm clamped around her waist.

"I would only ask you to fight for my people, ..._our people"_, his voice had became human once again and so soft that she shuddered.

_She hadn't thought him capable of gentleness._

Sakura hadn't realized that was what she needed all along.

She felt a petting against her back and realized his tail was wrapped around her waist, soothing her.

She looked into Gaara's jade eyes and made the leap….standing on her tip toes and kissed his lips.

He exploded into action.

His lips devouring hers, body rubbing against her own and mating growls and purrs coming from his throat.

Gaara lifted her up with his tail and wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked backwards to the bed.

They landed together in a tangle of limbs, urgency racing through their veins.

After all the chaos that had plagued them, they couldn't wait to feel each other .

Sakura's hands reached up and cupped her soon to be lovers face, "I love you Gaara".

His eyes flashed from black to jade in rapid succession, "I love you sakura",he breathed before claiming her mouth in a searing kiss while his sand cut away her clothes.

Her hands became frantic and she shoved and pulled at his clothes till he was as bare as she.

The sand users fingers began to trace her body, memorizing her curves. Full breasts, small waist, wide hips and slender legs.

Gaara purred at the sight of her hips, _she would birth his pups easily, _the thought sent him into a feral frenzy.

He pushed her legs apart and leaned down between her thighs, inhaling her spicy scent that indicated her willingness.

Shukaku caught another scent and started to salivate and pace restlessly, _**She's in heat…ready to be pupped.**_

His tongue darted out to lick her folds and Sakura's body lurched off the bed with a sharp gasp.

Gaara's hand splayed across her stomach to stop her from moving and continued to lap and lave her most sacred place with his tongue.

When Sakura began to buck uncontrollably beneath him, he inserted two fingers and scissor back and forth till she screamed.

He murmured sweet words as he crawled back up her body while she shuddered and shook from the aftermath of her orgasm.

When he loomed above her, Sakura's eyes snapped open and shone with delightful challenge.

Flipping them over, she pushed him on his back and began to lick and kiss his chest.

She circled her tongue around his pectorals and ran her nails up and down his sides, Gaara gasped and arched off the bed when she engulfed him in her hot mouth.

He lurched to a sitting position when she ran her teeth down his length and his fingers tangled in her hair while he watched her work her lips over his erection.

He groaned and shuddered when she circled her tongue around his tip before he pulled her away to toss onto her stomach.

"Mine", he growled fiercely, Sakura turned her head sideways and pulled her hair away to expose her throat to his fangs.

A growling purr erupted from his throat and he rubbed his cock against her moist entrance loving her gasping and moaning.

"_Please Gaara", _she whimpered and he lost complete control.

Pulling her hips back against his, Gaara thrust into her core while biting down into her neck.

He rode her harshly, Pumping deep inside her, refusing to release his hold on her throat.

Sakura was powerless to do anything but take what he was giving her and she moaned and screamed when he hit deep within her channel.

Gaara snarled fiercely and pounded into her harder, his teeth released from her jugular vein licking it closed with his saliva.

"Mine, Mine, Mine", he growled over and over as he took her over the edge and into oblivion where they wallowed in ecstasy.

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Sakura pressed her nose into Gaara's throat reveling in her enhanced sense of smell that followed the mating ritual.

Her teeth had elongated, her nails were harder and she had better vision, hearing and touch.

She ran her fangs lightly across her mates neck, relishing how his skin shuddered against hers.

A purr reverberated through her chest as she cooed and moaned for his attentions.

Sakura was flipped onto her back and she stared up into fierce jade eyes, "I wont let you leave Sakura…_ever_", he stated heatedly.

She cupped his face in her hands and smiled at him, "Good because I wont _ever_ leave you…Gaara".

His lips crashed into hers and the sounds of mating filled the room, as the two lovers who had been so long denied finally found their _happily ever after._

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WALLAH! THERE YOU GO I WORKED REALLY HARD ON THIS ONE SO READ AND REVIEW!!


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